Container gardening can be traced back thousands of years to China, Central Asia, Egypt, India, the Mediterranean, and other ancient cultures. What began as a way to raise edible and medicinal plants eventually evolved to include ornamental gardening.

Like roots or seeds that lay dormant in the ground for a long time and then emerge when growing conditions are right, this ancient practice is flourishing again. Balconies, entries, patios, pool decks, walkways and other parts of hardscape are all blooming with container gardens. Some gardeners even nestle them amid in-ground plantings.

Many salvias and companion plants thrive in containers. Consequently, you'll find articles in our Everything Salvias Blog about a wide variety of container gardening topics, including kinds of potting mix to use, selection of plants with similar growing needs, tiny fragrance gardens, native plant pots and container garden combinations for bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Please feel free to email or give us a call if you have any container gardening questions or would like to suggest an article idea.

Container Gardening Basics: Watering Potted Plants

Posted: Thursday, March 10, 2016Synopsis: Container plantings are welcome islands of color and fragrance whether in small or large yards. Their emergence signals the pleasures of summer, including icy glasses of lemonade. Potted plants have a mighty thirst, as well. Container garden plans for Salvias and companion plants need to factor in greater frequency of watering than the plants would receive in-ground.

Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2015Synopsis: Assembling a new planter with fresh potting soil and young plants is a feel-good activity similar to moving into a new home. Each pot and property is full of promise. Placing a single plant or a grouping in the right size of pot is like selecting a starter home for it that will encourage healthy growth. The type of material a pot is made from also affects development. Flowers by the Sea Online Salvia Nursery explains how to choose correct pot sizes as well as pot styles, sizes, colors and arrangements. Don't miss The Flowerpot Men music video!

Posted: Saturday, July 11, 2015Synopsis: Why is regular garden soil a poor choice for container gardening, and why is sterilized, soilless potting mix better. The term "sterilized" indicates that a potting medium is free of pathogens, weed seed and toxins. "Soilless" means that although it contains organic and inorganic matter, it isn't a garden soil. One of the main reasons to use a soilless mix is that it allows water to drain better in a confined space. Flowers by the Sea explains the basics of potting mixes and why no one recipe fits all needs.

Container gardening likely began in ancient Egypt with Pharaoh Ramesses III who created garden cities lined with potted trees and papyrus plants. Ramesses didn't have a mail-order plant nursery like Flowers by the Sea to help him determine what to grow and how to do it. He also didn't have three-day mail delivery. But you don't have minions to help you plan and plant your landscape. So FBTS has designed discounted container kits for a variety of growing conditions, including drought.

Posted: Tuesday, April 28, 2015Synopsis: As summer nears, it's time to prepare hanging baskets for patios, front entries and other locations that lend themselves to an aerial display of lush greenery and colorful blossoms. This year, don't just settle for what is familiar; make room for cascading Salvias and waterwise companion plants. Flowers by the Sea has selected 32 favorite plants that arch, tumble, form globes of bloom and otherwise perform beautifully aloft.

Testimonials

I received my plants in a very timely fashion and they were in unbelievably good condition. I have never ordered plants online that were better packed. I following the directions supplied and my plants are now in containers and looking great. I live in an apartment and have very limited space on...

Gary Tucker

I was ecstatic last month when I found this nursery while searching for information on Canary Island Sage.Then, when I discovered that they had Salvia azurea, I just knew that I had to order some things.All told, I ended up ordering 7 plants the week before a big Salvia conference. When they got...

Brandon

After our former pest control company stepped on our Salvia Buchananii, we spent weeks looking for a replacement. No local retailer or wholesaler could find anything. I finally stumbled on FBTS but I was concerned that they only had 4\" pots. My experience with that size is they are so small...

David Jimenez

Incredible beauty and stunning selection!!!! All the specimens we bought of the hundreds of rare and wonderful varieties available at FBTS were healthy and thriving after their inception and rearing in the huge, state-of-the-art greenhouses, in which many hummingbirds overwinter, and gorgeous...

Mary Bull & Robert Krebsbach

I recently bought 5 salvias in two varieties. I was impressed on how quickly they came and how carefully packaged they were. I cant wait to watch them mature, and will defiantly be buying more from you in the future! Thanks!

Elizabeth Thompson

Was very pleased with the condition and quality of the plants I received. They were packaged quite carefully. Very happy with my purchase and highly recommend.

Mike Griffin

Really trustworthy blog. Please keep updating with great posts like this one. I have booked marked your site and am about to email it to a few friends of mine that I know would enjoy reading..

Ellyanna

I received my salvia order today. The plants look great and I can't wait to see them bloom. Loved your selection of rare salvias. Thank you.

Helena Hartje

I ordered 6 plants in early July. They were shipped very quickly by FBTS. I was stunned when the box arrived completely beat up. I was worried about my new plants. I opened up the box, and it took sometime to unwrap the plants, due to the extra packing efforts of FBTS. I was amazed that...

Megan

Thank you for the very well-packaged shipment I received today. I appreciate your time-consuming efforts at weight reduction for shipping: these plants are bohemoths that should-if I do my part- overwinter and leap out of the ground next Spring! In the midst of all of the challenges you have...